Knockdown desk.



J. W. CAMPBELL.

KNOGKDOWN DESK.

APPLICATION rum) MAB. 5, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14,1909.

Z7 W ZMM/ UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTCE.

JAMES W. CAMPBELL, 0F GERMANTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO FERGUSON BROS.

MFG. 00., 0F I-IOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

KNOCKDOWN DESK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Germantown, in the county of Columbia and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Knockdown Desk, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a knock-down desk, the object being to provide a simple, convenient and firm portable desk which may be readily set up and knocked down for use or transportation.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the-accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of the desk in front perspective set up as in use, Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts folded or in knockdown adjustment, Fig. 3 is an edge view of the same, Fig. 4 is a partial end elevation with the parts in the position which they occupy when the desk is set up for use, Fig. am a partial vertical section in the plane of the line A'A of Fig. 4, Fig. 6 is a partial horizontal section taken in the plane of the line B of Fig. 4, showing the under side of the desk top at one end thereof, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section in the plane of the line CC of Fig. 6.

The fixed frame of the desk comprises a pair of uprights 1, 2, connected near their lower ends by a cross slat 3 and at their upper ends by a cross slat 4, which, at the same time, forms the back of the desk and projects above the table portion 5, the upper edge of said slat 4 preferably terminating in graceful curves to form an attractive finish.

From the front face of the slat 4 above the table 5 end pieces 6 and 7 project forwardly and downwardly to form a narrow box portion, the front of which is formed by a cross piece 8 attached to the fronts of the end pieces 6 and 7 and in the present instance this box portion is divided into compartments by means of intermediate partitions 9 and 10, making three compartments in all, the two end compartments of which may be used for the reception of writing paper, envelops and the like, while the central compartment is provided with an opening 11 through the front piece 8 to receive an ink well or the like, a bottom to this middle compartment being placed above the top of the opening 11 as Fig. 2,

shown in dotted lines, where the said bottom is indicated Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 5, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909. Serial No. 481,269.

by 12, thus making a ledge or shallow pocket for the reception 'of pens, pencils, ink erasers, etc.

The bottom of the end pockets, as well as the bottom of the arched portion or recess formed by the opening 11, is formed by a narrow strip 13 (see Figs. 1 and 6), which is secured to the front face of the upper cross slat 4 a little distance above the lower edge of the latter and also to the front faces of the uprights 1 and 2, as, for instance, by means of screws.

To the front edge of the strip 13, the table portion 5 is hinged, as shown at 14, 15, so that it may be swung downwardly into folded position, as shown in Fig. 2, or upwardly into operative position, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, 6 and 7.

The table is supported when in operative position ready for use by means of folding legs 16, 17, the said legs being sufliciently wide to extend forwardly and form a stable support for the desk as a whole. These legs are hinged at their rear edges to the outer edges of the uprights 1 and 2, the leg 16 by means of the hinges 18, 19, and the leg 17 by means of the hinges '20, 21. These hinges are so placed that the legs are permitted to fold inwardly toward each other as shown in Fig. 2 and when so folded they will lie in the vertical plane of the cross strip 13 while the table portion 5 will fold down over the front faces of the folded legs, as shown in Fig. 3.

The parts are held in unfolded position ready for use as follows :A bar or plate spring 22 is fixed at one end to the under side of the table 5, its free end projecting through an elongated recess 23 (see Fig. 7) in the top of the leg, the spring being provided with a hole to receive the upper end of a pin 24 fixed in the bottom of the recess 23 at the top of the leg and projecting far enough upwardly into the recess so as to pass through the hole 25 in the spring and yet leave space enough between the upper end of the spring and the under side of the table to permit the spring to be pressed upwardly free from the pin.

The spring projects past the legs as shown in Fig. 6, far enough so that the thumb or finger of the operator can press against its free end and spring it toward the bottom of the table portion 5, ofi the pin 24.

When the spring 22 is engaged with the pin 24:, the leg or operative position and when the spring is pressed toward the table to free the pin 24, from the spring, the leg may be folded inwardly, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The table portion 5 is, at the same time, held downwardly in contact with the top of the leg by means of a tongue 26 which may be the projecting end of a plate made fast to the top of the leg at or near its forward edge, as, for example, is shown by screws 27, Fig. 7 which tongue 26 is adapted to slide beneath a keeper 28 which may also be formed by projecting the end of a plate made fast, as shown at 29, Fig. 6, to the under side of the table portion, the keeper 28 being off-set from the under side of the table portion sufficient to permit the tongue 26 to pass underneath the keeper when the leg approaches the limit of its outward swinging movement.

The spring 22 while holding the leg against unintentional displacement at the same time holds the tongue 26 beneath the keeper 28 thereby fastening the table portion 5 down onto the leg while the moment the spring 22 is released from the pin 24 the leg may be swung inwardly, removing the tongue 26 from its keeper thereby leaving the table free to swing into folded position.

It is to be understood that each leg and the end of the table portion adjacent thereto, is preferably rovided with a locking arrangement similar to that just described.

The whole arrangement is an extremely simple one and the desk when set up is very firm and when knocked-down occupies little space and may be made so light as to be readily transported.

In providing the pockets at the front of the back frame, above the table, I preferably locate the cross piece which forms the fronts of the pockets directly over the joint between the back edge of the table portion and the cross piece to which it is hinged so that this joint is covered by the lower edge of the front of the pockets.

It is obvious that changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do will be locked in its forward 1 not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein shown and described, but

\Vhat I claim 1s:-

1. A knock-clown desk comprising a back frame consisting of uprights and cross pieces connecting the uprights, spacing pleces at the front of the upper cross piece, a front strip connecting the spacing pieces, and a bottom strip, all firmly secured to form pockets, a table hinged to the frame immediately below the front piece of the pockets, and legs hinged to the back frame to swing into folded position beneath the strip which forms the bottom of the pockets.

2. A knock-down desk comprising a back frame, legs arranged to fold inwardly toward the back frame, a table arranged to fold downwardly over the folded legs, the table and the top of each leg being provided, the one with a keeper and the other with a tongue for retaining the table against vertical displacement and means for locking the leg to the table to prevent the leg from swinging laterally.

3. A knock-down desk comprising a back frame, legs hinged to the back frame to fold inwardly, a table hinged to the back frame to fold downwardly, the upper ends of the legs being provided with recesses, plate or bar springs secured to the under side of the table with their free ends projecting into said recesses, and pins projecting upwardly from the bottoms of the recesses to engage the springs, the under side of the table and the top of each leg being provided the one with a tongue and the other with a keeper arranged to come into looking engagement when the pin engages the spring, whereby the engagement of the springs with the pins simultaneously locks the legs against unintentional swinging movement and the table against vertical movement.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two witnesses, this twenty-sixth day of February, 1909.

J AMES W. CAMPBELL.

\Vitnesses F. GEORGE BARRY, HENRY THIEME. 

